Box ejector



June 28, 1938. I H. PAXTON 2,121,821

BOX EJECTOR Filed Sept. 30, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 O O o o l June 28, 1938. I H. PAXTON 2,121,321

- Box EJECTOR Filed Sept. 50, 1935 s Sheets-Sheet 2 June 28, 1938;

H. PAXTON 2,121,821

BOX EJECTOR Filed Sept. 30, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 discharged from the lidding machineonto'ia stor- Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view V Patented June 28, 1 938 7 Box Eme son I I Hale Paxton, Santa Ana; Calif-L, assign'or} by" u mesne assignments, to Food Machinery Corporationgacorporation of Delaware V Application-Septemben so, 1935-, SeriaLNm42,750: I

8 Claims.

My invention relates to box lidding machines and more particularly to an ejector for discharging a: box from such a machine after the lidding operation; In the agricultural industry; fresh fruits and vegetables are packed. in suitable crates or boxes for shipment, to market. The packed containers are conveyedto a 'lidding machine such as that disclosedin; the copending applicationiof I-Iale Paxton et 2.1., Serial No. 688,104, filed September 7 1933, for Automatic lid nailing and strapping machine. After being lidded, the containers are age conveyor.

An-objectof my invention is to provide anejector for a lidding machine that: will automatically and quicky eject a-boxfrom the machine in response to the completion; of a lidding operation.

Another object of my invention is to. provide a mechanism that serves to. position a boxv a I lidding machine in: addition .to ejecting the box after the lidding operation.

Still" another object ofmy invention is to provide an. ejector for a lidding machine having" a vertically movable box supporting. table in; which thezpower for operating. the ejector is derived: in response to downwardmovementof the table.

Further objects and advantages will beumade manifest in the following description. taken in connection with the accompanying: drawings, in. which:. I

Fig. I is a front elevational view of a lidding machine which includes a. preferred form of box ejector of my invention. 1

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, side elevational view looking in. the direction of the. arrow 2 of Fig-1. 3zis'a horizontal. sectional view'taken. on

the line 3i-3 of'Fig. 1. i

5 Fig.4 is'a' vertical sectional view taken on the line 4 of Fig. 3. V

r 5.. is. an" enlarged, vertical sectional View taken on. the line 5-5. of Fig. 4'.

taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5. Fig. '7 is a. fragmentarmdtail View of a portio of tham'echanism shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 8.is a vertical. sectionali view similar to. Fig. sand illustrating position of the parts of the in.- vention with a box being received. intothe machine;

. Fig. 9. i513. View similar to Fig. 8::si'mwingthe: box as it first comesto rest inthe-machine with stops engaging both ends ofthe box.

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9 illustrating the commencement of the ejection of. a, box; from themachine afterthe completion: of a;1id .secu r.

ing operation. I

Fig:, 11. is-a fragmentary, side'elevational view looking in the direction of thearrow H- of. 10..

' Referring specificallytothe drawings, alidding machine.- l-IJ,- comprising. a preferred embodiment of my invention isshown in Fig. 1., thismachine including a frame 1.1,. power. unit. 1.2,. box; sup

porting table 1.3. and.- a. lid. securing: mechanism which comprises. two. lid. nailing units [4,. With 19" V I the exception of-the table. l3, the. machine 10 issubstantially similar to. the machine: disclosed in the. above referred. to copendingapplication...

The frame ll includes a base. 20. from which pairs of. front and. rear corner posts- 22- andv 2.3 1 5 respectively: extend. Fixedon. the; upper. ends of the posts: 22- and: 23. are front. and". rear plates 24 and, 25-respectively. Secured atits-opposite, ends V to the rear. posts 23-, as seen, in: Figs. 1. and. 2,. is a horizontal angle'i-ron bar 26. the purpose. of. which 29 will be made clearhereinaften. Mounted. inside of each. of the: corner posts. 22K and. 23,. is a. track 2 having aninclined portion 28 at itsv lower end as seen in Fig. 2. I

The power unit l2 includes: a. motor (not 25 shown) for driving a gear 3,0; disposed. within a housing; 3|. as. shownin- Fig. 1. A. switch 32; is

provided for controlling the motor in response to 7 manual operation ota foot pedal 33. I

The table [3 includes transverse bars 35; and. 3.6; 3,0 the ends of. the latter being disposed, in sliding relation with the corner posts 22 and 23: as shown in;F.-i-g.,. 3.. Extending between thebars. 35 and. 3-6- are. longitudinal bars 38,. 39,, and. 42]., there being rollers, 42 mounted between the bars; 38 35 and 39; and. therbarsl!)- and 4|. asshown- Fixed on theunder side of the table I3. and extending downward through the gear 30- is a screw 42.

. Mounted on the table l3- (Fig. 2)- are sideflushers,45,ltheseincluding horizontal: shafts 4,6.jo11r- 4:0

method in the bars'35. and 35. Welded to opposite ends of theshafts 46 are leversdlhaving; rollers ls on their upper endsthe rollers being disposed. in vertical alignment with. the aforementioned tracks 2'1; of the posts 22. and 23.. Suspended between 45 the lower ends-ofthe levels 4.1 are springs 50,, one of which is shown in Fig. 2. Extending upward 'from each of the 'flusher shafts 46 are arms 52 as shown in Fig. 1. Secured. to the arms;5.2 of. each of the flushers 45 is a bar Sit-having arcuate end 5; portions 54, thelatter serving to centralizev the box on the table l-3 as shown in Fig.11. Above the bar 53. on the outermost; bars 52-v are box. end engaging arms 55 for centralizing a box lon itudinally on the table a manner to, be 'de- 55 scribed hereinafter. Mounted on the upper extremities of the arms 52 are side flusher plates 56.

Mounted between the bars 39 and 40 of the table l3 as shown in Fig. 3, is a bar 60, there being a short shaft 6! extending between the bar 69 and'the bar 35. Rotatably mounted on the shaft 6! is a box stop 62 having an apertured ear 69 extending from one side thereof as shown in Fig. 2. The stop 62 is normally urged against the bar 99 by a compression spring 64 provided on the shaft 6!. Connecting the ear B3 of the stop 62 with one of the levers 4! of the rear flusher shaft 46 is a contractable link 66, the latter being normally extended by a compression spring 6'! as shown in Fig. 2. V

Mounted on the table 13 is a box ejector it which includes a hollow shaft 1! journalled in a bearing 12 on the bar 38 as shown in Fig. 5. Fixed on one end of the shaft I! is a pinion 13 positioned to mesh with a vertically disposed rack M, the latter being fixed'at its lower end to a block 15 on the angle iron bar 26 as shown in Fig.5. Provided on the bar 38 of the table !3 adjacent the bearing 72 is a bracket 11 having a flanged roller '58 mounted thereon, the roller 18 serving to maintain the rack 74 in meshing relation with the pinion 13 as seen in Fig. 3.

Rotatably mounted in a bearing 89 on the bar 45) of the table !3 is a shaft 8!, one end of which is rotatably received by the hollow 'end of the shaft 7! as shown in Figs. 5 and 10. Keyed on the shaft 8! is a sprocket 82 having a spring pressed pin 83 slidably mounted in the hub thereof. Rotatable on the shaft 8! between the sprocket 82 and the end of the hollow shaft 1! is a collar 85, the latter being formedto provide ratchet teeth 85 for engagement with the pin 83 of the sprocket 82. Coiled about the shaft 1! is a torsion spring 83 fixed at its ends to the shaft 7! and collar 85 as shown in Fig. 5. Fixed on the shaft 8! adjacent the bar 40 is a ratchet wheel 89 for engagement with a pawl 99 on the bar 40 as shown in Fig. 6. Surrounding the shaft 8! between the sprocket 82 and the ratchet wheel 89 is a spacer sleeve 9!.

Provided between the bars 39 and 49 of the table !3 is a shaft 93 having a pair of spaced collars E l fixed thereon, there being an idle sprocket S5 rotatable on the shaft 93 between' the collars 9d. Trained about the sprockets 82 and 95 is an endless chain 96. Pivotally mounted on pins 9? of the chain 96 is a pair of identical box engaging dogs 98a and 9817, one of the latter being clearly shown in Fig. '7. Provided in side walls 99 of the dogs 98a and 981) are arcuate slots ills for receiving the ends of pins it]! of the chain 96. The dogs 98a and 98b are normally urged outward from the chain 96 by spring fingers Hi2. Mounted on the aforementioned gear housing 3! is an angle bracket N34 for engagement with the dogs 98a and 9812 as will be described hereinafter.

The nailing units !4 are constructed substantially as set forth in the above referred to copending application, and serve to secure a lid L shownin Fig. 1 to a packed box B.

Operation The lidding machine I!) of my invention operates in the following manner. As the box 13 rolls onto the table i3 from a suitable delivery conveyor fit, the uppermost dog 98a is depressed as shown in Fig. 8, while the dog 98?) engages the angle bracket HM to prevent movement of the chain 96. When the box B strikes the stop 62,

as shown in Fig. 9, the stop 52 is moved leftward against the spring 64, thus permitting the dog 98a to return to its uppermost position. As the box B is stopped, the stop 52 urges the box'into contact with the dog Star as shown in Fig. 9, rightward movement of the dog 9860, as viewed in Fig. 9, being prevented by engagement of the pawl 99 with the aforedescribed ratchet wheel 89.

Whenthe box B is thus positioned between the stop 62 and dog 98a as shown in Fig. 9, the operator depresses the foot pedal 33' causing the power unit !2 to raise the table !3. As the table !3 "rises, the flusher shafts 46 are rotated by engagement of the rollers 48 of the levers 4'! with the tracks 2'! causing the fiushers 45 to swing inward against the box B as shown in Fig. 11, it being noted that the ends 5 of the bars 53 are pressed against the sides of the box while the arms 55 engage the ends of the box. Rotation of the rear fiusher shaft 55 also causes link 66 to rotate the stop 6'? out from in front of the box end as shown in Figs. 10 and 11, it being noted that as soon as the stop 62 clears the box end, the spring 64 urges the stop partially under the box against the bar 69. During upward travel of the table !3, the shaft 7! is rotated by engagement of the pinion 73 with the rack M. The spring 98 and collar 85 are rotated with the shaft I! while the shaftt! remains stationary, reverse rotation thereof being prevented by engagement of the pawl 99 with the ratchet wheel 89. As the table !3 rises to its uppermost position, the lid L is pressed onto the contents of the box and nailed at its ends to the ends of the box. When the table l3 moves downward following the lid nailing operation, the shaft H is again rotated by the rack id, but in the opposite direction to that during upward movement of the table 5 3. The torsion spring 38 rotates with the shaft 2'! but the collar 85 is locked by engagement of one of the teeth 86 thereof with the 'pin 83 of the sprocket 82. Thus, as the table !3 descends, power is stored in the spring 93 as the latter is wound up, this power tending to rotate the sprocket 82 in a counter clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 10. The dog 98a is thus urged against the rear end of the box B while the latter is prevented from moving on the table !3 by the arms 55 of the flushers 45.

As the table I3 approaches its lowermost position, the rollers 48 of the levers 41, roll down the inclined portions 28 of the tracks 21 causing the fiushers 45 to swing outward away from the box B. As the arms 55 move out from in front of the box B, the sprocket B2 is rotated by the unwinding of the spring 88, causing the dog 98a to urge the box B off of the table 3 onto a suitable conveyor H2. While the box B is being discharged from the machine it by the ejector Ill, the table !3 arrives at its lowermost position and the chain 96 is stopped after ejecting the box by engagement of the dog 98a with the angle bracket I94, the dog 9% being disposed in the position of the dog 98a shown in Fig. 4.

That portion of the entire operation of the machine it which is directly involved in the se- .curing of the lid L onto the box B and which may be termed a lid' securing operation of the machine, begins with the contact of the box being elevated on the nailing table [3 with the lid securing mechanism disposed thereabove and terminates with the downward movement of this box as it passes out of contact with said mechanism.

Although I have shown and described but one "preferred form of my invention, it is to be understood that various modifications and changes might be made therein without departing from the spirit of the inventionor the scope of the following claims. I

I claim as my invention: t 1. In a machine for securinga lid on a packed box, thevcombination of: a supporting structure; a table on said structurefor receiving and'supporting a box; lidse'curing mechanism .on said structure above said table; power means causing relative vertical movement between said table and said lid securing mechanism-to effect a lid securing operation and causing a second relative vertical movement between saidtable and said lid securing mechanism to restore the normal ver- I box from; said'table subsequent to said lid securing operation. 7 x

2. A combination as in claim 1 in which said .means for moving said secondary stop toward said 7 primary stop is actuated in response to said secnd relative vertical movement between said table and said lid securing mechanism.

3. In a machine for securing a lid on a packed V box, the combination of: a frame; lid securing mechanism on the upper end of said frame; a box supporting table on said frame below said lid securing mechanism, said table being movable vertically toward and away from said lid securing mechanism; a primary stop on said table for engaging the front end of said box; a secondary stop on said table for engaging the rear end of said box, said primary and secondary stops serving to centralize said box longitudinally on x said table; means for removing said primary stop from in front of said boxiand means for moving said secondary stop toward said primary stop to eject said box from said table,- said'last menticned means being actuated in response to downward movement of said table following a lid tical movement between said table and said lid securing mechanism to restore the normal vertisecuring operation. r

4. In a machine for securing a lid on a packed box, the combination of: a supporting structure; a table on said structure for receiving and supporting a packed box; lid securing mechanism on said structure above said table; power means causing relative vertical movement between said table and said lid securing mechanism to effect alid securing operation and causing a second relative vertical movement between said table and said lid securing mechanism to restore the normal vertical spacedv relationship between said table and said mechanism; an endless chain extending longitudinally relative to said table; means on said chain for engaging an endof said said table.

' from said machine.

to said chain.

box; and power means' for setting said chain in motion after a lid securing operation to cause said chain is actuated in response to said second relative'vertical movement between said table and said lid securing mechanism.

6. In a machine for securing a lid on a packed box, 'the combination of: aframe; 'lid securing mechanism on the upper end of said frame; a box supporting table onsaid frame below'said lid securing mechanism; said table being movable vertically toward and away from said lid securing mechanism; an endless chain extending longitudinally relative to said table; means on said chain for engaging an end of said box; and means responsive to downward movement of said table for setting in motion said endless chain to cause said box engaging means to expel said box from 7. In a machine for securing a lid on a packed box, the combination of: a supporting structure; a table on said structure for receiving and supporting a box; lid securing mechanism on said structure above said table; means causing relative vertical movement between said table and said lid securing mechanism to effect a lid securing operation and causing a second relative ver-' tical movement between said table and said lid securing mechanism to restore the normal vertical spaced'relationship between said table and said mechanism; means for retaining said box in centralized relation to said table during said lid securing operation and releasing said box thereafter; endless chain means on said table; a box engaging dog on said chain; and power means yieldably connected to said chain to urge said dog against said box in response to said second relative vertical movement and eject said box 8. In a machine for securing a lid on a packed box, the combination of: a supporting structure;

"a table on said structure for receiving and supporting a box; lid securing mechanism on said structure above said table; power means causing relative vertical movement between said table and said lid securing mechanism to effect a lid securing-operation and causing a second relative vercal spaced relationship between said table and said mechanism; means for retaining said box in longitudinally centralized relation to said table during said lid securing operation; endless chain 'means on said table; a box engaging dog on said chain'means; rack and pinion means operable in I response to said second relative vertical movement; and spring means connecting said rack and pinion means and said chain to yieldably transmit power from said rack and. pinion means HALE PAXTON. 

